So here is mine. This is a collection of things I'm doing and things that make me happy.

Thursday 10.23.14

Taken a break to figure some of this out. But I'm back. I just love these patterns and I will figure out what to do with them later.

Sunday 9.7.14

I've slowed down the pattern-making so I could focus on actually turning these guys into something more real. I finally managed to get all the supplies I need and test it out. I'm etching my patterns onto plexi plates and will hopefully print them on marbled paper. I realized I forgot liquid starch as a base for the marbling, so I'm not completely ready for that yet. Oh, and not having a printing press is quite the challenge as well. (still figuring that one out)

Monday 8.25.14

Sunday 8.24.14

Saturday 8.23.14

Friday 8.22.14

Thursday 8.21.14

Wednesday 8.20.14

Tuesday 8.19.14

Monday 8.18.14

Sunday 8.17.14

Saturday 8.16.14

Friday 8.15.14

Thursday 8.14.14

Wednesday 8.13.14

Tuesday 8.12.14

Monday 8.11.14

Sunday 8.10.14

Saturday 8.09.14

Friday 8.08.14

Thursday 8.07.14

Wednesday 8.06.14

Tuesday 8.05.14

Monday 8.04.14

Sunday 8.03.14

Saturday 8.02.14

Friday 8.01.14

Friday 8.01.14

Needed to break up the patterns and it was perfect timing!

I entered a local city beautification project last October and submitted 5 bike rack designs and two were selected! I found out they were just installed and are on the Main St. of the town I went to college in. So know I've left my mark :)

Thursday 7.31.14

Wednesday 7.30.14

Tuesday 7.29.14

Monday 7.28.14

Sunday 7.27.14

Saturday 7.26.14

Friday 7.25.14

Thursday 7.24.14

Wednesday 7.23.14

Tuesday 7.22.14

Monday 7.21.14

Sunday 7.20.14

Saturday 7.19.14

Friday 7.18.14

Thursday 7.17.14

Wednesday 7.16.16

Tuesday 7.15.14

Monday 7.14.14

Sunday 7.13.14

Saturday 7.12.14

Friday 7.11.14

Sunday

After graduation, I knew life would change for both me and my twin sister, so last year we decided we needed to go on a European adventure before we started new things.

For the last two weeks we have hopped to 5 different countries.

It was one of the most amazing opportunities and I am so thankful that we had the means and the time to make it happen. I know that it still all hasn't fully sunk in yet, but I'm already mentally refreshed and extremely inspired.

Here are some of my photos from Dublin, London, Paris, Berlin and Madrid:

Thursday

I'm graduating!

My good friend did this wonderful painting of me with my animals and I did the type and now we're ready for the next step.

Sunday

Class of 2014's Capstone exhibition opened today and it was a success! A classmate makes furniture and crafted the super cool triangle tables. We each had a banner, table area, slides on the big screens, posters on a print wall and a page on the website capstone2014

Monday

I went to the public library sale and found some great books! Maps, type, travel, and illustrated cats! Nothing better.

Tuesday

Was directed to this great link that encouraged me that it's time to take deep breaths:

Last weekend my best friend, who is a printmaking major, and our retired printmaking professor, decided to have a girls day and do something I've always want to do- marble paper!

We experimented with starch as a base and carrageen as a base. Both were great fun and I intend to use my sheets as sketchbook covers!

Thursday

Two summers ago I had an incredible summer that included an amazing month in Greece for Study Abroad and then had a great full-time design job that ended with a Carousel for their booth at a convention.

I found this image that I made when I got back- it was one of those- "tell us what you did this summer"- type things.

Tuesday

Collective Experimentation Project- Library Wayfinding

Tuesday

Project 1- Statement of Intent

Selected Passage: “Of a straight line it can be said correctly that it may be produced to infinity; and here the distinction between an infinite and an indefinite progress (progressus in indefinitum) would be mere subtilty. No doubt, if we are told to carry on a line, it would be more correct to add in indefinitum, than in infinitum, because the former means no more than, produce it as far as you wish, but the second, you shall never cease producing it (which can never be intended). Nevertheless, if we speak only of what is possible, the former expression is quite correct, because we can always make it longer, if we like, without end. The same applies in all cases where we speak only of the progressus, that is, of our proceeding from the condition to the conditioned, for such progress proceeds in the series of phenomena without end. From a given pair of parents we may, in the descending line of generation, proceed without end, and conceive quite well that that line should so continue in the world. For here reason never requires an absolute totality of the series, [p. 512] because it is not presupposed as a condition, and as it were given (datum), but only as something conditioned, that is, capable only of being given (dabile), and can be added to without end.”

Content: Through a chosen passage in the 19th Century philosopher Kant’s documents on Pure Reason, an exploratory design project forms. This project is based off of a passage about phenomena that is given or not given a definitive end point, defined by you. Whether you believe it continues without limits- infinitum, or if you believe it concludes- indefinitum. This phenomena depends on your perception.

Maps are detailed data charts with an abundance of layers and available topics and purposes. A map concludes, only to be realized that an updated one is ready to be made. And then when it is detailed out to a specific place, many various types of information can be expressed into many many maps for that one specific place. In this sense, both infinitum and indefinitum are in effect because as one map is ‘finished’, another one beginning.

Relationships are always forming and always around. Their are choices in some and less choice in others. Family/Related relationships are given and have an emotional and genetical bond, while others are chosen and have many different meanings. Starting a new job and having a relationship with your boss and coworkers, sharing a moment in elementary school with a new kid and becoming best friends your whole life, meeting someone at a friend’s party and turning into lovers, having children and forming a relationship with them. Relationships are complex and, like maps, are in constant flux. Typically, it is not known what your relationship will end up like with someone until that time comes. The perception one might have on a relationship ending might come true, but then again, it might go another course and is not finished yet. When in a relationship with someone, the end isn’t thought about as much as the past with them, the possible future with them, and especially how the relationship is in the present.

I want to create Relationship Maps from my own life. They appear to be detailed maps of cities or neighborhoods or countries, etc, but they reveal the many relationships involved in my life and where they’ve started and ended and how they overlap and how they can be expressed in different map forms. Through this, it is showing the ever-changing nature of maps and relationships and how the map maker is ending some relationships and finishing maps, but more are always making themselves and are being made.

Audience: Anyone who has relationships with others.

Goals: To layer maps and relationships- two things that everyone is aware of and take for granted- and show them how intricate and fluid they are. By opening up their eyes to the limitlessness of relationships with others, maybe they will be more aware of their surroundings and how they have the power to keep it going.

Concerns/ Issues: Technically, the idea for having many various maps layered and still separate through roll- transparency sheets, could get jumbled and lose clarity. Contextually, both maps and relationships involve a lot of change, and that could be read more clearly than never ending or chosing to end.

Resources: The library and internet for maps and my own knowledge of my relationships.

Tuesday

What is a Designer?

Alvin Lustig's thoughts: I believe his thoughts on how "design is related in some way to the world" is still incredibly relevant as well as his statement on how "people tend to get in a rut…". Both are very much still around and are not just about ad design. Technology has become the new way design relates to this new world and we see a lot of design that feels stuck and being made over and over and over again.

What do I think a designer is?

I think they are someone communicating. I think they are, or should be, open to experimenting and when they get in that rut, they realize it and break out of it.

Thursday

Letterpress is probably the most incredible things I've been fortunate enough to learn. It amazes me that this medium used to be in every printers and now it is antiqued and has become an art form. I am hoping to get a couple more letterpress projects in before I graduate in May.

This is a piece I did a couple years ago. It's my favorite quote.

I created the geometric pattern through a woodblock relief and used an old label maker for the cool "To Risk"

Monday

Here are a couple books I made for my Serigraphy class.

Our class had a combined portfolio book that we chose the theme, "On a Stick", thinking about the State Fair and how everything is deep fried, on a stick. I hand drew the type for the cover and screen printed it, I didn't want it to be very clean, and then I screen printed the inside covers with mis-registered Fair food that looks a little sickening.

Then, a zine that I chose to focus on abstract Rorschach patterns, which I find incredibly lovely. I dry emboss letterpresses the cover to say, "Pass or Fail" and for the interior pages I created my patterns with India ink and then xerox copied them to make multiple zines.

Tuesday

Patterns: The Carbon Crystal

Behind the scenes- It's amazing how one simple sketch can have so many variations and styles. This one small idea has branched into several patterns and I'll be posting more soon

Wednesday

Patterns patterns patterns

Thursday

Tuesday

Art Deco Textiles- Pure Inspiration Goodness

^ This was had an Anonymous creator and I was so disappointed because I love it so much

Friday

Friends of the Animals of Norman (FAN) Volunteer for the Norman Animal Welfare Center

Once school started and I got back to Norman, I decided to volunteer at the city animal shelter.

There is a no-kill shelter in Norman as well, and it's the first place people think about when considering adopting an animal. That is a problem for the city Welfare Center because they unfortunately do not have the capabilities to pick and choose animals to shelter and not euthanize.

The shelter really just simply needed more visibility because people were forgetting they existed. They had a new logo that I simplified a bit and then created some posters and flyers with important information.

I wanted to focus on volunteering and adopting.

After working at the shelter only one day, I realized how vital volunteers really are. Animals won't be able to leave their cages unless a volunteer comes by and takes them out for a walk. Sometimes these animals are in their cages for weeks if there aren't enough volunteers stopping in. They also need donations- either monetary or supplies. These are easy things for people who might not have a ton of time to clean cages, work events, etc, but could spend an hour walking a couple dogs or even just dropping off some cat litter and dog treats.

Then of course there is adopting. In just a couple weeks they are starting construction on a new animal shelter. This is great news because it will replace the dungeon of a shelter they have now. The problem with this though is that they are building on the exact spot the shelter is now. That means they are having to tear down half of the shelter to start the 9 months of construction. 20 dogs and 20 cats will not have a cage when construction starts, so we are pushing to get as much information out there as we can to get these animals adopted or else they will be euthanized.

I'd like to do more, and I'm working closely with the other volunteers and the city workers to push for more visibility and creating a better image for the shelter. It's tough, but anything helps.

Saturday

The Norman Arts Council was having a bike rack design contest this Fall to liven up the streetscape. I thought it was a fun project and would be exciting to try something new- and two of my entries were selected!!

I will keep this updated, but these were what I submitted that won!

These were the other two I made that were not selected:

Thursday

I worked on an annual report and chose the American Red Cross. I wanted to use the cross in a more abstract way throughout the pages and this is what I came up with.

Tuesday

The 2013-2014 school year is the 25th Anniversary of our Visual Communications program. It is also the 100th Anniversary of our Art School. There is going to be a large art exhibition in January 2014 that has a small exhibition space for just highlighting the Visual Communications program.

In a group of 4, we presented an idea for the space that was simple and clean and focused on the moments that design creates as well as the moments designers have when creating.

We wrote this poem that we felt expressed our idea thoroughly. We wanted to show that design has a soul, just like art, because we feel that sometimes it is mistaken for being soulless.

Tuesday

I have been working for the University of Oklahoma Press for a year and I've really enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the publishing world. I do a lot a back cover designs and ads, but every so often I get the chance to design some covers! I really enjoy the challenge of coming up with an appropriate design for each cover and utilizing the photography we are provided with.